"Our" Father

Homily for Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Elijah and Elisha were two wonder workers of ancient Israel who seem so mysterious to us. Yesterday’s reading from the Second Book of Kings had spoken of both, so today the Lectionary for Daily Mass interrupts our continuous reading of that book by presenting us with a eulogy for Elijah and Elisha that appears in the Book of Sirach. Chapters 44 through 50 eulogize the many heroes of the Hebrew Scriptures including Elijah and Elisha.

These two are most significant to us as pictures of what God was to do for all through the risen Christ. Three aspects of their lives especially point to our Lord: (1) bringing the dead back to life, (2) ascending to heaven, and (3) bringing about the day of final reconciliation. Christ has risen, ascended to his Father, and now works through the Holy Spirit to reconcile all people, to raise all to new life in God.

The Lord’s Prayer, commonly known as the “Our Father,” is given to the apostles by Jesus in answer to their request that he teach them how to pray. This prayer concentrates our attention and energies on cooperating with the work of the risen Lord. God’s name will be holy before all, the kingdom will come, the will of God will be accomplished in so far as we allow the power of the risen Christ to operate in forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer ends with a prayer for forgiveness and for a willingness to forgive, to let go of the grudges and hatred that cause so much suffering in our world.

When the first Friars ask St. Francis of Assisi teach them how to pray, St. Francis answered them by an exposition of The Lord’s Prayer. He takes each phrase from that prayer and elaborates upon it in such a way that we can meditate on the words that we say so glibly each day of our lives.

Personally, I think the most important word in this prayer is the very first word: “Our.” So much of the discord and contention that exists in our world today is rooted in greed and a need to appropriate for ourselves as many of the riches of this world as we can. Yet, when we pray as Jesus has taught us, the first word that we use reminds us that God, who is the richest gift that we have been given, is the Father of all. No one can appropriate God for themselves. God is our Creator, our Redeemer, our consoler, and our Savior.

If we are faithful to our life of prayer, each of us prays these words at least three times a day – at morning prayer, at our celebration of the Eucharist, and at evening prayer. This prayer is, therefore, the foundation of all prayer. Its importance cannot be overestimated.